ESS

First Assessment 2026

LO: Introduction to ESS
08/05/2025
 ALL (5)
 Discuss the reasons for
choosing ESS at SL/HL
 MOST (6)
 Discuss Understand the
structure of the ESS
curriculum.
 SOME (7)
 Understand the process of
ESS assessment at SL/HL.
What were the reasons for choosing ESS in the IB
diploma?
Discuss with your classmates share the reasons with
the class.

I am interested
It fits well in the I have always
with my economic links been
other HL/SL interested in
subjects conservation
International Baccalaureate – Diploma Program
Environmental Systems and Societies
First Assessment 2026

 Environmental systems and

societies (ESS) is a dynamic
interdisciplinary subject that
takes 21st-century challenges
and socio-environmental real-
world issues and looks at them
through the lens of human
societies and the
interrelationships of the natural
world: biosphere, atmosphere,
hydrosphere and lithosphere.
Students explore how these
relationships change over time
and space, consider the
potential adaptations and
mitigations that human societies
and the natural world may
currently be undergoing, and
how these could impact the
future and our place in it.
Prior learning
 The ESS course requires no
specific prior learning at either SL
or HL. No particular background in
terms of specific subjects studied
for national or international
qualifications is expected or
required. The skills needed for the
ESS course are developed within
the context of thecourse itself.
An approach to study
characterized by the IB learner
profile attributes—specifically,
open-minded, inquirers, thinkers
and communicators—will be
significant in developing holistic
thinking and understanding of
environmental issues.
 The ESS framework
 The ESS curriculum
includes three unifying
concepts that are
revisited throughout the
course:
• perspectives
• systems
• sustainability.
 HL students will engage
with all SL and HL
understandings through
three HL-specific lenses:
• environmental law
• environmental and
ecological economics
• environmental ethics.
 Conceptual - Links
Perspectives Systems Sustainability
The concept of Systems theory provides a The concept of
perspectives provides a useful tool for holistic sustainability is central to
deeper understanding of analysis and gives insight ESS. Resource
worldviews, individual into understanding the management issues are
perspectives and their mechanics and purpose of pivotal to sustainability,
related value systems. A human-constructed and students’ attention is
person’s value systems systems and the function drawn to this throughout
interact in complex ways of natural ones. Systems the course. Social, cultural
with their decision-making theory uses conceptual and political issues related
abilities and their actions, models that provide to sustainability are
and these can have a real- essential analytical tools covered in the course, for
world impact. By for understanding socio- example, the value and
understanding this ecological systems. The conservation of traditional
complexity, students can models provided also ecological knowledge.
consider how to make allow analysis of tipping
effective progress on points that could lead to
complex sustainability change, and feedback
issues. loops that could help to
manage systems
behaviour.
Overview of the ESS
course
 Mapping of key concepts
Foundations Perspectives Systems Sustainability
Ecology relate to how we explain the through
understand and structure and sustainable
explain ecosystems function of resource
ecosystem management
energy flow and and carbon
biogeochemical sequestering
cycles that link to
understanding
ecosystem
productivity
Land inform our allow for clear of food
understanding of explanation and production is
land ownership and understanding of affected by the
rights to access soil ecosystems degradation of
land, and influence and factors soil resources
how we value influencing their
landscapes degradation

Water
 ESS AIMS
 Environmental systems and societies (ESS) aims to
empower and equip students to:
1. develop understanding of their own environmental
impact, in the broader context of the impact of
humanity on the Earth and its biosphere
2. develop knowledge of diverse perspectives to
address issues of sustainability
3. engage and evaluate the tensions around
environmental issues using critical thinking
4. develop a systems approach to provide a holistic
lens for the exploration of environmental issues
5. be inspired to engage in environmental issues across
local and global contexts.
 Refer also to individuals and societies aims, and sciences aims.
Syllabus Content
Discuss your ideas to fill in the gaps?
Topic Key topics/environmental
problems?
T1 - Foundations perspectives, systems, sustainability

T2 - Ecology
T3 – Biodiversity & Conservation
T4 - Water Overfishing, water stress and water
inequality
T5 - Land
T6 – Atmosphere and climate change
T7 – Natural resources Mining, use of fossil fuels,
environmental contamination
T8 – Human populations and urban Population growth – links to
systems environmental issues
HL.a – Environmental Law
HL.b – Environmental and ecological Economic growth and resource use,
economics circular economy,
HL.c – Environmental ethics
Course structure:

▶ 5 hours per 2 weeks (SL)

▶ 9 hours per 2 weeks (HL)
▶ 150-hour course (SL)
▶ 240-hour course (HL)
▶ Experimental program (HL/SL)
▶ Sustainable Practices field trip
▶ Organic farm trip
▶ Field work investigations

* 16
 Experimental Program

Practical work is an important aspect of the

environmental systems and societies (ESS) course,
whether in the laboratory, classroom or out in the
field. The syllabus not only directly requires the use of
field techniques, but many components can only be
covered effectively through this approach. Practical
work in ESS is an opportunity for students to gain and
develop skills and techniques beyond the
requirements of the assessment model and should be
fully integrated with the teaching of the course.
 Skill development
The skills and
techniques
students must
experience
through the
course are
encompassed
within the tools
and inquiry
process. These
tools support
the application
and
development of
the inquiry
process in the
delivery of the
Assessment
Assessment - External
ESS Exams – Paper 1
(SL/HL)  Paper 1

 Case Study (SL)

 1 hour (SL)
 35 marks (SL)

 Case Study (HL)

 2 hour (HL)
 70 marks (HL)
 Resource
booklet
ESS Exams – Paper 1
KEY INFORMATION

The RESOURCE
BOOKLET will not give
you the answers to all
the questions

The material in the

booklet is “Stimulus”
material you MUST use
your ESS knowledge
ESS Exams – Paper 2
(SL/HL)  Paper 2

 Section A short
answer
questions
 Section B long
response/ essay
questions
 2 hour (SL)
 60 marks (SL)
 2.5 hour (HL)
 80 marks (HL)
 Assessment - Internal

The internal assessment task involves the design, implementation and

completion of an individual investigation of an environmental systems and
societies (ESS) research question. The investigation is submitted as a written
report.
Any investigation that is to be used for internal assessment should be specifically
designed by the student to address the assessment criteria. Students must,
therefore, be provided with a copy of the assessment criteria when the
requirements of the investigation are explained to them.
Assessment - Internal
IB - Exam data May 2023
 Where does
ESS get you?
 Recognised as an experimental
science by universities
 Understand our environment and
what we are doing to it
 Relevant to the world we try to
live in

 The new syllabus has many cross

curriculum links to business and
economics which support
degrees/careers in these fields.
Books
The ESS textbook is a
valuable reference
guide as we work
through the syllabus.

The textbook will

highlight:
Key words and terms
Concepts and content
Examples of case
studies
Summary questions.
 Kognity – Online
resources
Online textbooks give
another approach to
the syllabus content.

The online textbook

will highlight
Various case studies
Short answer
questions
Exam style questions
Paper 1 & 2 (SL/HL)
Quiz Tme!